Hornwort in the aquarium: care and conditions. How to plant in an aquarium Cuban, red-stemmed, dark green hornwort?

To create a favorable microclimate in the aquarium, it is necessary that in it, besides fish, there are plants. One of the most common is the hornwort. It is found throughout the globe and very unpretentious. This perennial plant, which has no roots, so hornwort in the aquarium contain very convenient. It is retained in water with the help of an unusual structure of stems. Hornwort grows easily in all conditions and creates in the aquarium a favorable microclimate favorable for most fish.

Features of this plant

1. It is so unpretentious that it grows in any water and can withstand fluctuations in temperature from 12 to 30 degrees.

2. The peculiarity of this plant is that it is pollinated in water and therefore it grows very quickly.

3. Hornwort in the aquarium is very useful. Wherever it grows, there is no debris, few other algae, the water is always clean.

4. If you start a hornwort, then care for it will be uncomplicated. You only need to take it out and clean it from rubbish sometimes. If some twig breaks off, throw it back into the water, and it will grow as an independent plant.

5. This plant, due to the special surface of the stems, does not eat snails. therefore The aquarium, where the hornfels grow, will always be a beautiful pond with thickets of graceful leaves.

6. Hornwort in the aquarium cleans water and enriches it with oxygen.

Description of the plant

Rogolistnik prefers ponds with standing water. He does not like strong currents and sunlight, so he grows best at depth. This plant has no roots. In order to keep itself near the bottom, it uses special stems - white, with very thin leaves. They penetrate into the mud and hold the hornwort near the bottom.

Another feature of the plant is that it absorbs water and minerals by the entire surface of the stem. The stem is hard, thin and contains silica. The leaves are dense, needle-shaped, many times dissected. They contain lime and easily break. The whole surface of the plant is covered with a special film that is impermeable to water and gases, and small hairs. The flowers of the hornwort are very small, collected in the inflorescence. This plant is dusted directly under water. The fruit is a nutlet with spike-like growths.

Types of hornwort

This beautiful plant has about 30 varieties. But in aquarium use are most often four of its kind: hornwort dark green, light green, Cuban and red charcoal. They differ not only in color but also in their content. Some species are more thermophilic, others grow in winter. But any hornwort in the aquarium grows very quickly and cleans the water well. True, some of them are very fragile, so it is difficult to breed them.

Features of the Cuban hornwort

This is the most common type of aquarium plants. Cuban hornwort is very beautiful due to the reddish stalk and fluffy branches. It grows throughout the year and does not die in winter. The stems of this species of hornwort are not fragile, so it is convenient to keep it in the aquarium. With good lighting and warm water, it grows rapidly and can grow for a month per meter in length, while forming a fluffy bush.

It propagates by cuttings and can grow both in the ground and floating in the water. Several stems of hornwort, lowered into the aquarium, can make the water crystal clear. He is very handsome and unusual: a reddish stalk shines through a cluster of dark green leaves. This plant will decorate your aquarium and create a favorable microclimate for fish.

Other types of hornwort

1. In aquariums, green hornwort is often grown dark green. His name he received because of sharp leaves, as if cast from dark glass. This species is also called underwater because it likes to grow in the water column, and only in winter it sinks to the bottom and slows down its growth. Its stems are very fragile, but from Broken off shoot quickly grows a new plant.

2. Hornwort light green is also called semi-submerged, because it can grow both in the water column and drowned in the ground. Its leaves are light green, sometimes a bit reddish. This plant is very unpretentious and can live at any temperature and water hardness. It grows rapidly, reaching a meter in length. Often because of this, the lower levels of the aquarium are shaded. Therefore, it is recommended to shorten the stems regularly.

3. Hornwort redstone - this is the same unpretentious plant, but it is more difficult to keep it in the aquarium. Its dark red stem is very fragile and soft, it breaks at any touch.

The use of this plant

1. Being in the aquarium, hornwort interferes with excessive growth of algae. It purifies water, actively absorbing nutrients from it, thereby depriving other "fellow" food.

2. The aquatic plant hornwort is a natural filter. His thin fluffy twigs like a magnet attract all garbage and fish products.

3. Rapid plant growth promotes active enrichment of water with oxygen. This is very good for fish.

4. The thickets of plants serve as an excellent shelter for fry. In addition, in them fish like to spawn, because any caviar is well retained on the leaves.

5. Some fish eat leaves of hornwort and some days can do without other food.

How to care for hornwort

It is undesirable strongly to heat the plant in the ground, especially pressing it with a stone. A gentle stem will soon rot in such conditions. If you want to root the hornwort, it is better to do it with a sucker. Attach it to the bottom and gently wind the stalk with a soft wire. Very beautiful looks hornwort, if it is planted in groups along the back wall of the aquarium.

Caring for the hornwort is simple. It withstands any temperature, water hardness and lighting. However, he does not like bright light, so place it away from the lamps. With high temperature and good lighting, the hornwort grows rapidly - up to 2-3 centimeters a day. In this case, he needs additional feeding, because he will not be enough of the products of the vital activity of the fish. It also needs to be shortened from time to time, so that the top of the plant does not reach the surface of the water by 4-5 centimeters.

What should you do if you plant an aquarium plant hornwort? Sometimes it should be pulled out and washed under running water to wash away the dirt. In addition, hornwort does not like abrupt changes in conditions. With changes in temperature or light, it can fall ill and discard leaves. In this case, you need to remove the net from the bottom of them all and remove the exposed parts of the stem.

Every novice aquarist should know the benefits of the hornwort in the aquarium. Photo of these plants will help you choose a suitable variety and place it correctly.